SEVEN GOALS OF CITYWORKS

* In creating the CityWorks program, teachers at the Rindge School of Technical Arts in Cambridge, Mass., outlined seven objectives they want students to achieve by the end of the year:

1. Develop problem-solving skills. In one assignment, for example, students must create a protective container for an egg so that it will not break when dropped from a height of 20 feet.

2. Learn teamwork. In one exercise, designed to help them learn how to work together and help one another, after students first create an individual "personal resume," they must work in groups to create a "work team inventory."

3. Develop communication skills. Students describe their experiences and reflect on their work through writing. Oral communication is stressed through interviewing and public speaking.

4. Learn math skills. Students learn about how to use math on the job and why they need to know about units of measurement.

5. Know all aspects of an industry. Besides developing production skills in a particular vocational area, students learn general principles of planning, finance, labor, management, technology, and safety issues.

6. Learn about community resources. Students study Cambridge neighborhoods, demographics, and community needs. They learn about resources the city has to offer and consider changes and improvements they would like to see in the city.

7. Create high-quality work. Students keep portfolios of their projects and are encouraged to have pride in their work. At the end of the year, they create a final portfolio that includes a resume and examples of their best work.

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